The IVY league experience

I applied for the following universities: CMU – Rejected Georgia Tech – Rejected UC Irvine - Admitted Princeton – Rejected UIUC – Rejected UCSD – Rejected UPENN – Rejected NYU - Admitted Columbia - Admitted UMass Amherst - Admitted Maybe the colleges were looking for something which I did not offer in my SOP and Resume. Some colleges had a high GRE and TOEFL cutoff which I might not have cleared. I chose Columbia because of its reputation, quality of education and courses they offer in my program. The admission process required students to submit a Statement of Purpose, a TOEFL score and attempt a video interview. They did not ask for the GRE score, only the TOEFL score with a cutoff of 100 marks. The admission process was smooth; it required us to pay $4000 to secure our admission seats within two weeks of the acceptance letter. The college had lots of information given on their website, which made things easier to understand. The administration was very prompt in answering all the queries during the process. I applied for Fall intake and aimed for an early decision. I gave my GRE and TOEFL exams in July and August 2023. I started my application preparation in September 2023 and completed it by October 2023. I got my acceptance in February 2024 and joined college in August 2024....Read More

I applied to 4 colleges in total before I finally got into Columbia University: 2 accepted - Columbia and LSE 2 rejected - Oxford and Cambridge Columbia stands out for its excellent location and institutional networks with banking and policy sectors in New York and Washington D.C . I intended to find work in NYC after graduation and that was the main reason why I chose Columbia. My intake was in August 2022. The admission process took 3 months from the time of application (February 2022) to the time of decision (May 2022) . The admission process required a policy essay and personal statement, a copy of transcripts, and recommendations from professors and colleagues . GRE is optional. Overall admission process was straightforward and smooth....Read More

I knew that I wanted to pursue my higher education in the United States because of the ample opportunities and it being at the forefront of emerging technologies. The fact that the country has a well-built pipeline for success for international students was an additional bonus. I wanted to get into a top 20 programme, as this would give me a great peer group and better opportunities while still being realistically possible with my profile. The programmes I chose were either electrical engineering programmes with a focus on ML or straight-up CS programmes. I went about choosing programmes that would allow me to gain some research experience. Location and career weren't among my concerns; I correctly believed that if I performed well enough at my school, I would not have issues with those. University itself has been a great experience. Most of the courses were interesting and of good quality. There is ample scope to conduct research and interact with professors. Columbia offers a tonne of extracurricular activities, and the University is in New York, so there is no shortage of things to do. All these things contribute to an incredible student life. The campus itself is small; however, other than a really good gym, it doesn't lack in anything....Read More

New York is absolutely the best city; the transport is easy because of the subway; you have to keep your guard up but it's pretty safe. I always wanted to live in NY. Attending Columbia is like a dream come true; it holds up to its ivy rank, great campus, inspiring professors, amazing events, and you get to learn a lot here . The MS in Tech Management course really offers you a wide range of learning experiences; you can pick top electives related to design, tech, and marketing and learn about the innovative sides of this field. Overall, for all career opportunities, you can go for BA or DS roles after this masters or PM if you have experience, but in the US there is no placement system so you really have to do the word to have any opportunity....Read More

The admission process is based on the application submission first, students submit their application through the common app or coalition app, typically by the January 1st deadline for regular decision. I prepared for the admission, maintaining a high GPA, especially in challenging courses like AP or IB and taking the SAT or ACT. Consultants are Crimson Education....Read More

Overall, Columbia University was a fantastic experience. Its located in a vibrant city, with opportunities to stick to a campus life, and still enjoy everything NYC has to offer. The students are helpful and collaborative. The professors are incredibly well experienced with several accolades. All in all, had a great learning experience....Read More

Very good infrastructure, renowned professors and a smart cohort, in a gist....Read More

My experience at Columbia university has been exceptional so far. Its truly one of the best Ivy League universities in the world. Everything from academics, to faculty to extra curricular activities has been top - notch and worth every penny....Read More

I chose it for multiple reasons. The top being: Prestige, Course value, professors, location...Read More

To begin with,The masters program focuses mainly on answering the question of “why you do what you do”. Chemical engineering is important to me as it helps engineer solutions that are going to be of utmost importance to the future. Columbia helps motivate me towards achieving and being a part of this goal. Secondly, Located in the heart of New York City, the connections with various organisations helps in the development of my cann reer. The professional development and leadership courses offered contribute positively towards my journey as an engineer who can adapt and fit into the professional world. Lastly, tremendous research opportunities is what draws me towards Columbia. The wavelength of research done by the professors matches mine to a great extent. An example of this includes Professor Scott Banta’s research which aims to design and create non-natural biological systems and to bring about solutions to problems in biotechnology and nanotechnology. In all, an education at Columbia provides me with an opportunity to grow and evolve in a diverse community....Read More